


you can keep on living as much as your heart believes

by aeinlookalike



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 19:31:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13841493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeinlookalike/pseuds/aeinlookalike
Summary: morning fluff that involves boyfriend robe





	you can keep on living as much as your heart believes

**Author's Note:**

> this was an excuse to write xander in bf robe and then my gf drew it so i'm like doubly blessed
> 
> (feh au as always. why do i always only write morning fluf???)

The first thing Xander notices while blinking away sleep is the light shining in through the window. It’s bright and obnoxious, apparently having forgotten the curtains last night due to other more pressing matters and he squints against it. Xander already knows it’ll be difficult to go back to sleep, regardless if there were no duties calling for him. Rolling over and yawning, he meets Ryoma, who is still sleeping, his hair a wild mass, but framed against his peaceful face.

The night before had been soft, leading to gentle-hearted touches and loving fondness expressed through their actions. If anything, Xander’s still a bit sore, but it was fine. It wasn’t enough to stop him from going about his daily life, although… Sitting up, he looks over himself and winces when he finds several marks that would make last night only too evident. Some annoyance on hand, he glances over to the other man still sleeping, blanket only haphazardly pulled up to his waist. At least it hadn’t been entirely too one-sided. Xander gently traces along Ryoma’s hip with some familiar marks of his own from last night, in which he stirs slightly, but still doesn’t entirely wake.

With hesitation, Xander leans down to softly kiss Ryoma on the cheek before sitting back up with a tremendous yawn. Shifting the blanket away, the cold hits him and immediately he starts to hunt for his clothes that were carelessly thrown aside last night. At the very least, he grabs his bottoms that he slips on. He stops in looking for his shirt when he instead spots a well-known looking scarlet piece of clothing draped over a chair. Walking over, Xander holds it, bringing it to his face and taking in the scent. It is familiar and smells of something that is the closest thing to home he could label here in Askr. Clearing his throat, Xander brings himself out of his thoughts, looking back at Ryoma who’s still sprawled out on the bed, sleeping. With some contemplation, he slips it over his shoulders, and tilts his head to one side to make contact with it. The cold was still there, but Xander couldn’t be bothered to find the rest of his clothes. Gods know where they were anyway. 

Xander yawns once more and rubs at one eye, wondering what time it was. It couldn’t be too late in the morning, the halls were still quiet at this hour. Stretching, he makes his way over to the table, sifting through some papers through his blurry vision. Fumbling with his otherwise still clumsy fingers, Xander finally finds the paper he was looking for, leaning over to dip a quill pen that’s also been hastily thrown aside.

Behind him, Xander finally hears the stirring of Ryoma who yawns quite loudly. He can’t see him, but he’s sure that the high prince was surely looking for him, missing as a source of heat and the place next to him on the comfortable bed. 

Ryoma sees him then and there’s a pause as he takes in the scene in front of him of Xander bent over the table writing, his robe hanging over Xander’s shoulders, mind still slow from sleep. “Is that my—“

Without looking up, Xander only waves his other hand away in an airy gesture as an attempt to hide his embarrassment, glad he’s not facing Ryoma. “What if it is?”

“You should wear it more often. Red suits you.” Hardly a moment passes and already Xander can hear the smugness in Ryoma’s tone that he frowns instantly in response, even if the other can’t see it.

“Ryoma. I was cold. I grabbed whatever was nearest. Is that explanation good enough for you?”

“I never asked for one.” There’s a snap as the quill pen hits the paper a tad too hard and Xander whips around to see the sleepy Ryoma with a grin plastered on his face, sitting up on his elbows. He strides over to the chair where he had grabbed Ryoma’s robe from earlier and finds a pillow resting there. There’s a small _‘oof’_ as the pillow sails over to land on Ryoma’s face. It falls on the blankets as he laughs, collapsing back on the bed. “That was hardly necessary.”

Pursing his lips, Xander walks back over to his desk, picking up where he’s left off, as if nothing had happened at all and he hadn’t just thrown a pillow at his lover in a temporary, immature fit. “I find your comments this early in the morning unnecessary as well, but you don’t see me—“ 

“Don’t be so grumpy this early in the morning.” Ryoma chuckles, sitting back up with a yawn. 

Xander sighs, glancing back to look at him in which Ryoma only smiles. He pats the spot beside him invitingly and Xander smiles as well, unable to help himself. “We have work to do.”

“We always have work to do.”

“Then,” Xander muses openly, “shouldn’t we do it, perhaps?”

“What’s one hour?”

“You so love to put things off don’t you?”

Ryoma shrugs, yawning as he did so, in which he catches Xander in one too. He grins. “No, but I always keep telling you, such things of irrelevance aren’t as important here.”

“Ryoma,” Xander says. “That only sounds like the words of a procrastinator still.”

“Come here, it’s cold. Is that reason enough?”

Relenting, Xander drops the pen and makes his way over to the bed, sliding in and Ryoma leans over to gently grip the other’s waist to pull him closer, linking his hands together from behind him. “What?”

“What?”

Xander lifts an eyebrow at the grin that’s still firmly there from Ryoma behind him. “Something particularly funny this early in the morning? Care to share?”

“Xander,” Ryoma laughs, leaning his head to place on his shoulder. “It’s just…”

“Just what?” Some annoyance slips through Xander’s voice and he crosses his arms.

“Why don’t you wear more Hoshidan clothing?”

“Why don’t you wear more Nohrian clothing?” Xander counters back instantly. His embarrassment was still evident at being caught wearing the other’s clothing, but he hopes his indignation is enough to cover for it.

It’s apparently not as Ryoma gives a chuckle. “You can’t answer my question with a question.” He says as Xander opens his mouth to reply. “This early in the morning.”

He sighs. “We’ve already established this. Your style of clothing is… too loose.”

“And Nohrian clothings aim to do nothing but restrict your movements.”

“I answered your question, you didn’t have to insult mine.”

“Dear Xander,” Ryoma still has his trademark grin. “I’m only stating the obvious.”

“Did you only drag me back to bed so you could harass me?”

“Maybe.” Ryoma sinks his head further into Xander’s shoulder, murmuring softly into his neck, “I can admit it’s fun though.”

“Can you get your fun somewhere el—“ Xander’s cut off in reply as he’s immediately gripped more firmly by the waist and flipped over, hitting the bed heavily. Breathless at how sudden it was, he only squints from the light, bringing a hand to shield against it. From sitting up to suddenly being backside on the bed from force has Xander slightly jarred as he looks up into Ryoma’s bright eyes that stare at him from above. “Can you for one second—“

A kiss interrupts him from Ryoma as he gently takes down the shielding hand, which takes Xander by surprise. It’s not deep, shared between the two and for a second, all other thoughts are forgotten. Until Xander breaks it, pushing at Ryoma’s chest. “If you wanted this, you could’ve just asked instead of physically assaulting me.” 

Ryoma laughs heartily. “That’s no fun.” He then gives away to collapse on Xander’s chest in which he gives a small _‘oof’_ this time at the impact. Xander brings a hand to Ryoma’s head, not doing anything else, just having it rest on top in a comforting gesture. 

“You’re heavy.”

“Five more minutes.”

“You’re like a child.”

“Xander.”

He’s quiet after that, his hand moving to stroke Ryoma’s hair softly. For Ryoma, he can only hear Xander’s heartbeat under his ear. It’s reassuring in a way, how it beats steadily in time as it slows back down to normal after the surprises Ryoma had pulled on him. He fights the urge to doze off then and there, possibly knowing Xander would give him what for if he did, even if it’s comfortable with the steady heartbeat and hand stroking his head gently. 

It is Xander who breaks the silence. His hushed voice echoes through his chest that Ryoma hears under him. “Do you think one day we’ll regret this?”

Ryoma doesn’t have to ask to know what exactly he’s talking about, even if it’s a sudden question. “Who can say?”

“Reassuring.” 

“Xander,” Ryoma smiles faintly at the other man’s dry tone. “I can’t claim to have all the answers as I have the same questions you do.” He gets up a little and leans over Xander, looking at his lover curiously. The other man takes his hand off Ryoma’s head, staring at him blankly. He rolls over Xander, letting him sit up entirely. Ryoma’s back faces Xander’s own and he hums in thought. The contact is warming, even against his exposed back to his robe still draped over Xander, even if it’s hanging tilted to one shoulder now after being tossed around. He turns to face Xander, bringing a hand to that bare shoulder, drawing his finger along it in which draws a response from the other, his breath audibly catching. 

Ryoma then takes the Xander’s hand and gently presses it to his own chest. Xander lifts a brow, but doesn’t question him. For a few moments, it is silent, Ryoma’s hand the only thing linking the two together. With it, Xander can hear the echoes of a pulse suddenly. It beats in his ears loudly, but it is calming as it flows with life. The pulse tells him that for as much as they have gone through, he, Ryoma, exists still. Xander’s world is here. The lives given to them were not a waste, nor were they without any direction entirely after all. This is a reminder of everything. They were alive. _Ryoma_ feels alive under Xander’s scarred palm.

_He is alive._

The hand clenches slightly over Ryoma’s chest with that truth and without another word, Xander hunches over to lean on Ryoma’s shoulder, burying his head. The hand holding his palm squeezes reassuringly before letting go to hold the back of Xander’s head instead. “Xander,” Ryoma’s only quietly amused, but his tone is soft. “Are you being emotional?”

His breath catches briefly before Xander replies. “No.” The counter is broken by a choked voice though, muffled as it is.

“You always were emotional at the most odd times.” Ryoma chuckles, but his words hold nothing critical as this time, he gently strokes the other’s hair.

Xander has no answer, so he chooses not to give any, which suits Ryoma just fine. He only hums in their otherwise silent embrace, bringing his other hand to rest on Xander’s back. The silence that settles between the two is comfortable, the only thing to pass is Xander’s unsteady breathing which is warm on Ryoma’s shoulder. He gives the other man a moment more, absentmindedly tracing circles on the small of Xander’s back. Sure enough, within a few minutes, Xander lifts his head up, blearily blinking back worn out eyes that still vaguely shine with emotion. Ryoma fights the urge to laugh at how sentimental his lover was at times. Admittedly, it’s rare to see him in fragile states like these, so the chuckle doesn’t slip out.

However, he can’t help his teasing tone as he pats the top of Xander’s head. “Better now?” The only answer he gets back is a doubtful glance. “Xander.”

The name called seems to bring the other man slightly to himself once more. The hands Ryoma’s held over Xander release him. Even if his words are said in a low voice, emotions threatening to overtake them, still, Xander speaks. “I love you.”

For a split second, Ryoma is taken back, but then smiles knowingly, as if to reassure Xander he already knew such a simple thing. He holds Xander out at length, gripping the other’s arms so he can see his lover more clearly. The Nohrian frowns at being held under such scrutiny, shaking his head stubbornly, a tinge of red already flooding his face from the seldom said confession. “Xander,” Ryoma repeats with a laugh. “I truly love you.”

The only thing he gets is silence from Xander as he’s speechless, processing just what exactly Ryoma said. Then he stutters, trying to get his words out, before giving up to collapse on Ryoma’s own shoulder as he gives a laugh. Behind them, the light shining in through the window seems brighter than usual, only reflecting the two aglow.


End file.
